Mail-handling apparatus



l. D. CAREY.

MAIL HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man OCT. 20. 1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTORNEY I. D. CAREY.

MAIL HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20.1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 19116.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES IRA I). CAREY, U33 LIGHT STREET, PENNSYLVANIA.

llEAIL-PQANDLING APPARATUS.

application filed (Batch-er 2S, 1915.

Be it known that 1, 11m D. CAREY, a citior the United States, residing at Light t, in "the county of Columbia and State L ennsylvania, have invented certain new 7 ul Improvements in Mail-ll iandling Apparatus of which the following is a specification.

iilhis i vcntion relates to an improved mail handling apparatus and the principal object or the invention is to provide an improved device for throwing a mail sack into the doorway of a mail car as it passes the station, the propelling means for the sack b ing released by a trigger extending from the car.

Another object oi. the invention is to provide improved means for releasably holding the plunger of the apparatus in a stationary position and to also provide improved means for releasing the plunger as the car passes the station.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for moving the plunger set position.

'll is invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein 2* igure 1 is a perspective view showing the device mounted upon a station platform and ready to throw a sack into the ear shown r passi g: the platform. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the improved device. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the improved device.

The housing is supported above the station platform 11 by means of the standards or legs 12 and is provided intermediate its length as shown in Fig. 2 with a partition 13 constituting an abutment. The plun- 1- 1 is slidably mounted in openings formed in the partition 13 and the head 15 of the housing and has one end portion provided with teeth as shown at 16 in Figs. 1 and 2.

lihis plunger is provided with a collar 17 for limiting the movement in one direction and is connected at its inner end with the head 18. Between the head 18 and partition 13 there is placed a spring 19 which moves the head 18 toward the open end of the housing 10 when the plunger is released and it will thus be seen that when the plunger is released it will move toward the open nd of the housing very rapidly and will tend to throw a sack in the housing out of the same and into the doorway 20 of the mail car 21.

In order to releasably hold the plunger in specification of Letters latcnt.

Patented-Aug. 1, H916.

Serial No. 56,953.

the set position there is provided a latch 22- which latch is slidably mounted in the housing in openings formed in the cross bars 23 and provided with an opening 9.4L through which the plunger passes. A spring 25 is placed about the reduced end portion of the latch and ieldably holds thelatch in an elevated position for engagement with the teeth of the plunger. It will thus be seen that when the plunger is drawn outwardly the latch serves to releasably hold the plunger in the set position by engaging the teeth of the plunger. in order to draw the plunger ou vardly there is provided the lever 2" pivotally mounted between the hinged ears 2e and provided at its upper end with a pawl 29 yieldably held in a normal position by means of the springs 30 and 31. By moving the lever the pawl draws the plunger outwardly so that the head 18 will be drawn toward the partition 13 a short distance. The lever is then returned to the position shown in F 2 after which it will be again moved downwardly thus again drawmg the head 18 toward the partition. This will be repeated until the plunger is drawn outwaroly'the desired amount.

in order to move the latch to an inoperative position there is provided the rocker shaft 32 which is rotatably mounted in the bearing and has one end portion bent to provide the arm or lever 34. The cam 35 is rigidly mounted upon the opposite end portion of shaft 32 posit oned to engage the reduced upper end portion 36 of the latch.

When this device is in use, the mail sack is placed within the housing 10 after the plunger has been drawn outwardly. [is the train approaches the station the mail clerk will place the trigger 3'? to the position shown in Fig. 1. As the train passes the station the trigger will strike thearm or lever 3-. l ann rock the shaft 32 thus moving the cam 35 downwardly. This will cause the latch to be depressed and the plunger vill be r leased. The spring 19 will move the head 18 rapidly toward the open end of the housing and cause the mail sacks in the housing to be thrown out of the housing and into the mail car through the open doorway. It is of course obvious that the lever 9.? will not interfere with the movement of the plunger as it is pivotally mounted and when the plunger moves inwardly the lever will be swung out of the way. After the sack is thrown into the car the mail clerk can remove pin 38 and the trigger will swing downwardly. into the doorway. The rocker shaft can now be returned to the original position and when necessary the plunger can agaln be moved downwardly tothe set position so that it will be ready for use when desired. 7 1

What is claimed is 4 V 1. A mail handling-apparatus. comprising a housing having one end open, a partition in said housing, the partition and the closed end of the housing being provided with openings, a plunger slidable through V said housing and passing through the openand. engaging said partition when said plunger is moved inwardly the full extent,

resilient means positioned between said partitionand said head, strips extending through said housing above and below said plunger, a

latch slidably carried by said strips and provided with an opening through which Jsaidplunger passes, means yieldablyholdingsaid latch in a position to engage the teeth of said plunger, means for moving said latch to a position to release said plunger, and means for moving said plunger outwardly, the plunger when moved outwardly being releasably held in a set position by said latch.

2. A mail handling apparatus comprising 7 a. housing open at one end, a plunger slidably mounted in said housing and provided with teeth, means yieldably holding said plunger in a normal position, strips extending across said housing above and below said plunger, a latch slidably carried by said strips for vertical movement and engaging the teeth of said plunger when in a normal position, means yieldably holding said latch in a normal position with its upper end extending through an opening formed in the top of said housing, a rocker shaft rotatably mounted above said housing and having one end portion provided with an arm for moving the rocker shaft, a cam carried by said rocker shaft and engaging the upper end of said latch for moving the latch to an inoperative position when the shaft is rotated in one direction, and means for moving said plunger out of its normal position.

' 8. A mail handling apparatus comprising a housing open at one end, a plunger slidably mounted in said housing and provided with teeth, means yieldably holding said plunger in a normal position, a latch slidably mounted in said housing and engaging the teeth of said plunger when in an operative position, means yieldably holding said latch in an operative position with the upper end portion thereof extending through the top of said housing, a rocker shaft rotatably mounted above said housin a cam :39 carried by said rocker shaft and engaging said latch, and means for rotating said rocker shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRA D. CAREY.

7 lVitnesses:

J. H. TOWNSEND, JAMES E. Rronnnos.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for'five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

